But there’s a giant “and yet” hanging over Neymar’s career. Somehow, despite all those achievements, he hasn’t quite achieved all he could – or should – have. The Ballon d’Or and the World Cup remain conspicuously absent from his trophy cabinet.

Neymar said he was left speechless after making his first appearance for Santos since returning to the Brazilian club where he began his illustrious career.

Related to this round of the Paulista, Neymar is very close to making his re-debut for Santos, this Wednesday (5), against Botafogo-SP. The expectation is that the star will enter the game in the second half, marking the return of the number 10 shirt to Brazilian football.

Neymar has agreed to return to Santos nearly 12 years after he left the Brazilian team, club president Marcelo Teixeira said Tuesday.

Neymar has scored 79 goals in 128 matches for his country. Neymar had been courted by MLS teams in the United States but has chosen to return home with the goal of earning selection for the Brazil squad for the 2026 World Cup in Mexico, the United States and Canada.

Neymar, the Brazilian soccer superstar, made his highly anticipated return to his boyhood club Santos on Wednesday, taking the field for the first time in nearly 12 years. The 33-year-old came on as a substitute at the start of the second half in Santos’ Campeonato Paulista match against Botafogo SP at the Estádio Vila Belmiro.